the worst injury of his career the season before a top-10 all-time player was available in the draft. The Spurs getting Duncan is the epitome of luck. That is one of the more obvious examples, but there are plenty more. Match-ups don't play a big role in regular season success, but they are huge in the playoffs. The Mavs were really good one season, but drew the Warriors in the first round. The Warriors were the worst possible match-up for the Mavs. The Mavs were favored to win the whole thing, but couldn't get past the Warriors. Also, luck plays a role in the timing of a team's peak. The Pistons were very lucky to win in 2004. The conditions were perfect for them. Had Kobe not had his Colorado issues, the Lakers likely would have won it. Also, there was a talent dearth in the NBA at that time as it was transitioning from the MJ/Hakeem/Malone era to the Lebron/Wade/Durant era. I stand by my statement that luck is the biggest factor in winning an NBA championship.